Alphabet’s Next Startup: M is for Mosquito?

A senior executive within Google, soon to be Alphabet, told colleagues he wanted to develop genetically engineered mosquitoes to help fight disease, according to people who know him.

Linus Upson, the man who helped build Google’s Chrome browser alongside new CEO Sundar Pichai, recently said he intended to start a biology project involving genetically engineered mosquitoes that would help wipe out other mosquitoes that carry illnesses like dengue fever and malaria.

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Sometime over the past year, Mr. Upson left his role as the Chrome operating system was being managed under one group with the Android mobile operating system team. It’s unclear if the ascendance of Hiroshi Lockheimer, who ran engineering at Android and now helps oversee the whole group, left no room for Mr. Upson or if Mr. Upson decided it was time to start something new.

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